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(No Model.)

v A. LAMBLER. APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GAS OR VAPOR FROM PETROLEUM. $10,247,983. Patented Oct 4,1881.

Wilhesseo UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

AUGU STIN I. AMBLER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL VAPOR FUEL CARBON IRON ADND TMANUFAG- TUBING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. I

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GAS OR-VAPOR FROM PETROLEUM.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,983, dated October 4, 1881. t

- Application filed August 2, 1880. (No model.) I

and also for producing, when petroleum is the substance acted upon, by the sameapparatus and at the same time, lubricating-oil as a resultantof said petroleum; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for generating gas or vapor from petroleum and its products and minglingtherejwith superheated .steam, for the purpose of producing an inflammable hydrocarbon gas suitable for use in producing flame and heat for heating furnaces of various kinds, and for 1 producing, at the same time and by the same operation, lubricating-oil; and the objects of my invention are to provide novel devices and combinations of devices for producing the results named, as will he more fully described hereinafter. I attain these objects by the mechanism and combinations illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus, showing the parts in position for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing in dotted lines a portion of one of the cylinders and one of its heads, and, in full lines the yoke which secures the head thereto; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the heads.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

In constructing an apparatus of this character, I employ two or more double horizontal cylinders placed one above the other, their arrangement with reference to each other being such that the steam entering is superheated in a coil of pipe surrounding the lower one, and is then passed through suitable pipes to chambers there are shown two double cylinders, B B

and O O, the former being the lower one, and the one into which the oil is admitted for vaporization. This cylinder may be of any desired dimensions, according to the amount of vapor to be generated, ithaving in one of its ends a removable head, 0, which rests upon a beveled seat on the end, of said cylinder, to which itis fitted, so as to form a gas-tight joint therewith, being held in its position by means of a yoke, a, and screw-bolt a. Within the cylinder B there is placed a smaller one, B, the outer diameter of which is so much less than the interior diameter of B as to admit of its being inserted therein and leaving a space or chamber between them for the circulation of superheated steam, said chamber being designated as D. This interior cylinder has a head, b, fitted to it, in all respects like the one in the outer cylinder, and held in position by similar means. t

The cylinders O and O are in all respects like those lettered B and B, except that'they may, if desired, be of greater or less diameter, the two being connected together by a pipe, D through which the steam passes from chamber D in the lower one to D in the upper one. These double cylinders are placed transversely across a furnace, A, which is beneath the lower one and has flues leading therefrom, and in which the cylinders are placed, to an oven or smoke-chamber, A above the upper cylinder, from which the products of combustion pass through the chimney A to the atmosphere. 7 When it is desired to put this apparatus in operation oil or other substance capable of being converted into gas or vapor without destructive distillation is passed into the pipeH,

located at or near the center of cylinder B, the lower portion of which is perforated so as to cause the entering oil to impinge upon the coiled pipe B within said cylinder. When a sufficient amount of oil has been admitted through valve 7 and pipe H light fuel isplaced in the furnace and ignited, and is kept burning until sufficient gas has been produced to furnish the heat. for generating more, when it is allowed to flow through the apparatus, as hereinafter described, to the bu rner A", located in the furnace A.

For the purpose of keeping up a continuous supply of gas or vapor, oil or othersubstance is ad mitted to the interior cylinder, B, through valve 7, by which the quantity may be regulated or apump may, ift'ound desirable, be connected with a pipe leading to valve 7, and the quantity admitted be regulated by it. In practice it will be found desirable to maintain a suitable quantity or body of oil in the lower portion of cylinder B, in order that when superheated steam is admitted thereto it may come in direct contact with the oil and rapidly vaporize it and be mingled with such vapor.

For vaporizing the oil or other substance, and for the purpose of adheating the vapor before it leaves the apparatus to such an extent as to insure the perfect commingling of the steam and vapor from the oil, there is attached to the apparatus a pipe, I), which conducts to it common or saturated steam from any ordinary and suitably-arranged generator. This pipe is supplied with a valve, 1, for controlling the amount allowed to enter the tipparatus. The said pipe D enters the space or chamber between the cylinders B and G, where it is connected to asuperheating-eoil, D, which surrounds the lower cylinder, B, and is directly in the path of the escaping products of combustion, its lower portion being in direct contact with the flame produced by the burning gas by which it is heated. After passing through the coil and being superheated therein the steam passes into pipe D, which leads it out through the wall A of the furnace, and from which a portion thereof is conducted through a pipe, E, to pipes E E, by which it is led to the steam-space between the cylinders B and B, the pipe E being supplied with valves 2 and 3, for controlling the amount thus admitted, while another portion is allowed to flow through the pipe controlled by the valve 4 into the interior of cylinder B, where it comes in direct contact with the oil therein. The steam entering the space D between the cylinders B and B circulates through a coil or coils of pipe, B located within cylinder B, and passes up through conduit D to the chamber D surrounding cylinder 0, and through a coil or coils of pipe located therein, thus adheating the gas within said cylinder.

For the purpose of preventing the oil contained in cylinder B from flowing into the gaschamber formed in its end, there is placed in said cylinder asteam-tight diaphragm or partition, H, the upper portion of which is perforated for the passage of gas into said chamber, outof which it passes through a perforated pipe, B and flows into a perforated sphere, G located upon the upper end of said pipe, and within cylinder C, said pipe passing through a sleeve screwed into projections formed upon the cylinders B and (3, so as to form a tightjoint between them. The office of the sphere just alluded to is to receive or collect any oil that may not have been vapor: ized in the lower portion of the apparatus, and allow it to descend into a trap, B formed upon or attached to the lower end of pipe 13 said trap being supplied with a cock, as shown, for drawingoff such oil atany time when the heads of cylinders B and B are removed.

In operating this apparatus, as before remarked, there should he a suitable quantity of oil in the lower portion of cylinder B, and this oil will at times become unfit for the pur-, pose of producing gas or vapor, but owing to its great specific gravity and pureness it is well adapted for use in lubricating machinery, and for other purposes. This oil is produced by the regular operation of the apparatus, and hence it becomes important that some means he adopted for drawing it off at the proper times, in order that it may be sold as an article of commerce.

As above stated, the oil to be treated enters the cylinder B through the pipe H, which is supplied with perforations, so that in passing out of it the oil is brought into direct contact with the heated pipes B and it is also brought into direct contact with the superheated steam in cylinder B; but even this will not vaporize all of such oil, and provision is made for drawing off the residuum, which is the lubricatingoil above referred to, by securing a pipe, H, to the cylinders B and B in such a manner as to form a passage between them, said pipe entering the lower portion of each cylinder, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. This pipe H leads into a larger pipe attached to the outer surface ofcylinder B, from the under side of which there extends downward a pipe, H, which is controlled by a valve, 10, which, when open, will allow the oil to flow out of cylinder B and be conducted to any suitable reservoir prepared for its reception.

In making provision for determining the position of the upper surface of the oil in the cylinder B and its condition, there is secured to the pipe, into which the oil enters as it leaves the cylinder, a valve, 5, in the upper end of the case of which there is secured one end of a glass tube, H which extends upward to and is secured in another valve, 5, from which another tube, of glass or any other material, extends to and is connected with still another valve, 5, which is connected with apipe which communicates with the gas or vapor outlet pipe. This arrangement of parts enables the operator to ascertain the position of the surface and character of the oil in the apparatus,

and thus determine when to draw it off, and to maintain an equilibrium of pressure in the tube by bringing the same pressure to bear upon both of its ends.

It is important in the most economical working of this apparatus that the temperature of the gas or vapor as it leaves it, as upon this depends the thorough commin glin g ot'its parts, should at all times be asoertainable, and hence there is attached to the upper end of the pipe to which valve 5 is secured a pyrometer, I, which, as it is in communication with the escape-pipe, will always show the temperature of the gas or vapor at that point.

For the purpose of indicating the pressure of steam in the spaces between the cylinders there is provided a pressure-gage,-J, which is connected by a pipe with said space or chamber; and there is also provided a gage, J, for-indicating the pressure of the gas within the cylinders, it being connected with the interior thereof by means of a suitable pipe.

For indicating the temperature of the steam V as it enters the cylinders there is provided a pyrometer, I, which is attached to a pipe, E, which communicates with the superheatingcoil, and is'provided with valves 2 and 3 for controlling the amount of steam that shall be permitted to enter the cylinders, and with a valve, 6, for admitting steam to said pyrometer I.

, and thus the amount generated in the apparatus be also regulated.

When it is desired to take a portion of the gas or vapor to a furnace or heating apparatus outsidc of and separate from the generator the valve 9 is more'or less opened, so as to permit. a portion'of the gas to flow into pipe K,

which may be extended to a burner or burners in such furnace or heating apparatus.

I am aware that a patent was granted to H. W. O. Tweddle on the 10th December, 1867,

No; 72,125,'for an apparatus for distilling oils; but I do not claim the apparatus there shown or any of his combinations of parts. Neither do I claim inthis application the process of generating vapor or gas from petroleum, described in an application of mine for Letters Patent for such purpose tiled on the 7th of September, 1880.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, -is- 1. In an apparatus for generating hydrocarbon vapor, the combination of two or more horizontally-arranged double cylinders having a steam-space between them, eachcontaining one or more coils of pipe, one for heating the oil and the other for adheating the gas or vapor generated, both bein gconnected with the steamspace between the outer and inner cylinders, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the cylinders B B and 0-0, the removable heads I), yokes a, and bolts a, as set forth, and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with the cylinder B and flue or passage for the escape of the products of combustion from the furnace, the steam superheating-ooilD, pipes E, for conducting the superheated steam to the interior of cylinder- B and to the spaces or chambers between the cylinders, and the valves 2, 3, and 4, for regulating the amount of steam admitted, all substantially as described. 4. In combination with the cylinders B B and C G of a gasor vapor generator, the gas or vapor pipe. B perforated sphere G and an oil-trap, B, the parts being arranged for joint operation substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with the cylinder B and coil E the perforated oil-induction pipe H and perforated diaphragm H, arranged for joint operation substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSIIN I. AMBLER.

Witnesses:

D. P. HOLLOWAY, GEO. F. GRAHAM. 

